November 13, 2010

I’ve never been one to load up my plate with all the various side-dishes at Thanksgiving. If I’m going to stuff myself silly (which is certainly a given on Turkey Day) then it’s going to be with only my favorites; Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Stuffing, Corn, Green Beans, and Cranberry Sauce. But there is one more player who always makes it onto my plate and without whom I feel Thanksgiving Dinner would not be complete. I may ignore the Veggie Casserole. I may shun the Candied Yams. I will likely say “No, thanks!” to the Salads. But I always, always, always have room for a bit of Coleslaw on my plate.

(Oh, drool! Now I can’t wait for Thanksgiving! Less than 2 weeks to go!!!)

Last year was the first year that I actually used my Mother’s China for Thanksgiving dinner. My husband’s Grandmother had given me her Silverware a few weeks before and I knew she would enjoy my using it for the Holiday. My own Mother’s Silverware had been poorly stored, and years of neglect had left it tarnished beyond repair. But Grandma had kept hers pristine in a felt-lined silver case and it barely even needed polishing. I’ve since learned that the best way to keep Silver nice is to use it often and although we won’t be dining with it daily (as Grandma did in her early married years), from now on it will be on the table for any occasion that warrants it! Not surprisingly, the food actually tasted better served on real China instead of Chinet!

To make this Coleslaw, you’ll need:

1 small-medium head Cabbage

2 whole Carrots

2 Tbsp Onion, finely minced (optional)

1/2 cup Sour Cream

1/2 cup Mayonnaise

2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar (or White Distilled Vinegar)

2 Tbsp Sugar

1 tsp Black Pepper

1 tsp Salt

What to do:

Wash cabbage, cut in half root to tip, and cut each half in half again.

Cut the core, on a diagonal, from each quarter.

Cut each quarter in half again, then slice very thinly down the length of each piece.

This is my husband chopping. Just look at him go!

Repeat with remaining eighths until all the cabbage is shredded.

Place cabbage in a large bowl, and set aside.

Wash, peel, and shred carrots. I use a microplane grater for this job.

Now, here’s a recent trick we use: We like a decent amount of carrot in our Slaw, but if you use too much, often the slaw gets an orange-y tint to it. Here’s how to solve that problem:

(I really have to credit by husband with this brainy rinsing idea.)

After you rinse all the orange-ness down the drain, place strainer over a bowl and let the moisture drip out of the carrots. Give them a squeeze or two with your hand to remove any remaining water, then place in the bowl with the cabbage.